Broken, We Collide
by JJBluebell
Summary: She was bubbly and bright, but just as broken as him, not that they knew that. She was just girl, a silly little girl who made the mistake of smiling at the doe eyed boy down the street... if only they'd known then what damage a smile could do. Starts off mid-season 1, could become M, not sure yet.
1. Chapter 1

I never expected anything to come it, such a simple gesture, but then I guess that's kind of how these things always tend to start, a timid wave, a curious laugh, a kind nod… for me it was a smile, a shy lopsided smile that made me blush and smile back.

"Look at that, already someone I need to beat up." I laughed and kicked the cocky blonde in shin with my pink ballerina shoe.

I picked up a box with my name messily scribbled on the side "yeah, and we'll have to move before we've even unpacked or you'll just get locked up for assault on a minor."

"Hey, that's what big brothers are for…and you know you love me for it." he then nuzzled a kiss into my cheek before racing off and I growled, rubbing my cheek onto the arm of my sweater.

"Nikolai, you little freak!" I called after him while he dodged through the movers and laughed "Say's the girl in the batman skirt."

With a shake of my head I scurried after him while smirking "Douche-lord!"

"Freak-queen!" he smiled back, and my eyes didn't wonder to the blue eyed boy watching us from down the street with a sad little smile on his face… except I did and I smiled back.

If only then I'd known what damage a smile could do.

It wasn't until almost a week later that I actually spoke to him, we'd shared sweet smiles as Nik and I set up the house, ending up in a game of tag and some minor bruises that he'd watched from where he was mowing the lawn.

I guess in a way it was my fault… ok it was totally my fault.

Because our first meeting wasn't by design, it was by me hitting him with my car "FUCK!"

I raced out of my dark pink beetle and raced to the back of my car, yeah, I was backing out my driveway and hit the cute neighbor boy "please don't be dead, please don't be dead… shit, I am so sorry. Are you ok? Please be ok."

The mild chuckle made me meet those baby blues attached to the guy sprawled out on in my yard "not dead…"

I smiled awkwardly before reaching down to help him up, I noticed the small whimper of pain and almost jump "I hurt you, fuck, I'm so sorry… let me see…"

"No!" the moment my hand touched his shirt he all but screamed at me.

At the look of my wide green eyes I'm guessing he realized that he was holding my wrist in a vice and had all but screamed at me, the lopsided smile on his face was awkward as he drops my wrist and rubs at the back of his neck "sorry… I just mean, come on you were going, what, two miles per hour in a pretty pink little car and I managed to get hit. The only thing hurt is my ego."

I couldn't help but laugh a little and smiled as the cute guy picked up his bike "right, next to being beat up by a girl I guess being run over by one isn't the best thing for a guy's rep. hey why don't I give you a ride to make up for the almost-killing-you."

"Nah it's cool, really I'm just going to work." he said with that perfect little smile that almost made me want to punch him.

"Dude, I just knocked you over with my car… a ride is the least I could do, so grab the bike and get in." he seemed almost taken back by my smirking demand but quickly moved to fit his bike into the back seat using the seatbelts to secure it and I was thankful I had the top down because I'm not sure it's fit.

He climbed into the passenger seat and laughed "so I take it you like pink."

"Me? No way!" I laughed because yeah, my car is a dark pink, my inter is white with powder pink lining and a pink pearl rosary hanging from my mirror "Where do you work again?"

"The Cemetery on 5th, not that I actually told you." he laughed and it was then I realized I didn't even know his name as he stared out the window and fingers drummed along to the radio.

I tried to focus on the roads and look for the turn off to 5th street "Right, I don't know your name either, I mean your letter box say's Lahey, but I'm assuming you have a first name to match."

"No, just Lahey, like Madonna…" his face is serious for all of five seconds before he breaks out those pearly whites "Isaac, um, it's Isaac."

He kept switching from cocky to unsure and it pulled me in as I pulled up beside the black paint-chipped gates of the graveyard "Isaac, it's cute, suites you."

He sits staring at me for a long moment with those big baby blues before asking "do I get your name or…?"

"Right, I'm Brae, Brae Cavanaugh; this chick that runs over the neighbors and puppy's." I smiled as he moved to get his bike out of the car.

I watched him and wondered; could we be friends?

"Are you calling me a puppy?" he has on that serious face again, the one that isn't real as I laugh "please you wish you were that cute."

"So you think I'm cute?" he said it with that serious tone again, but the playfulness in his eyes gave him away.

I rolled my eyes back, flipping away the long golden locks from my face as I smiled "not as cute as me and definitely not as cute as a puppy."

"That's not an answer." He did this head tilt that actually did remind me of a puppy.

I didn't bother to even acknowledge the small blush on my cheeks as I shrugged "sure it is. Got to run, or my brother is going to flay me… have a nice night Puppy."

Driving off I hear him call "I thought I wasn't cute enough to be a puppy!"

But I didn't look back, I didn't…ok so I looked in the mirror but hey, Isaac Lahey is seriously hot and not a total jackass, in this day and age that's not an easy combo to find.

By the time I actually got to the dinner Nik had already ordered for me, sat nursing his beer with a frown "Brae, you're late."

I kiss his cheek before taking the seat facing him in the booth "Sorry, I gave Isaac a ride to work."

"Who the hell is Isaac?" he looked pretty puzzled and pulled at the tie around his neck like it was a noose.

I shrugged and took a sip of my waiting soda "the boy from up the street, the one with the bike. I kind of hit him as I was backing out, no damage, but I offered him a ride to make it up. No big."

He stared at me for a long minute before smiling with a shake of his head "trust you to hit someone before leaving the house."

"Screw you, if I remember correctly you totaled both the first and second car you had so…" I pulled a tongue at him childishly just as the waitress come over with our food, bacon cheese burger and curly fries.

We tucked into our meal, forgetting all about my tardiness as my brother says "oh and I talked to the school today, got all the transfer stuff done so you'll be starting Monday."

"Cool, I just hope this one's better than the last, and the one before that." I hadn't meant it to sound mean but I knew it had.

Nik's hand was suddenly holding mine as he smiled whole-heartedly "hey, this time will be different ok? Thing's will be better now… hey look at me."

I do, I look him in the eye, the eyes he shares with me and I feel like a little girl again, looking to him like he's my own personal superhero. His hand squeezed my tiny one as he leaned in "_this_ is our fresh start, a real job and house, no more cons, no more running… I _promise_ Annabrae, we're free now."

I couldn't help but smile at the use of my full name and return the small squeeze of his hand, it was a big promise to make, a scarier one to face. Nikolai and I have been playing this game for so long I thought we'd die before reaching the end of the board, but here we are, we're out.

But could we ever really be free?

Be normal?

Yeah, I don't think so either.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys ok so I got an inbox about my characters name and its pronounced Anna-bray. Hope this helped. **

**Anyway I hope you all enjoy.**

**JJ X x**

Monday. The day dreaded by every single person on the known world, but it's also the day I start my new school, so that makes it extra sucky.

"Brae, have you seen my tie?" I rolled my eyes as my brother screamed across the hall to me.

I finished tying my laces and raced down into the kitchen "did you check your tie rack?"

"Very funny, I need the grey one that was in last night's laundry… where is it?" he looked at me with stony blue eyes and a tense jaw.

I walked over to the freshly folded clothes and groan "you're in serious need of glasses you know that right?"

I threw him the tie and he chuckled "yeah, right have you even looked in the mirror this morning?"

"What's wrong with how I look?" I asked while scanning over myself quickly, I chose a crimson skater skirt with suspenders, a white lace crop-top with matching thigh-high socks and my red Harley Quinn converse, I decided to leave my long golden curls loose but for the red ribbon used as a headband, '_Matilda_' style.

I thought it was an awesome little outfit, Nikolai did not "you look like a five year old dressed you."

"Say's you grandpa." I laughed and walked over and grabbed the buttered croissant off his plate.

"HEY!" he growled halfheartedly because he knew I shouldn't be eating something like that as I chowed down on the bready goodness.

I laughed because Nik couldn't quite get the knotting right and I stood to take over. This is the best part of the day, just us, it's been that way for so long that sometimes I forget about other people, almost forget how far we've ran.

He smiled cheekily down at me before kissing my cheek and pinching the half eaten croissant off the table "thanks, have a good day at school."

I watch him head out the door and shake my head "Douche-lord!"

"Love you to, Freak-queen. Don't forget to take your meds." He called back just before the door closed.

Yeah, my brothers kind of a jerk, but hey he's my family.

The looks I got the moment I arrived were very lioness verses gazelle, but hey that's the price of being the new kid. I walked through the halls and felt the tightness in my chest as I stare at my class schedule in utter confusion.

"Boo!"

I screamed and punched the person behind me in the stomach on reflex; seriously, it wasn't my fault this time "Shit, I'm so sorry!"

"You really don't like me do you?" Isaac groaned painfully and clutched his stomach.

I pulled him up right carefully and with a bite of my lip signed "sorry, I swear I'm not doing this on purpose."

Since last week with the whole car incident Isaac and I have been on good terms, we wave and smile like all the grownup neighbors do, stop and talk sometimes, he even lent me one of his comic books.

"Are you sure because I have bruises that say different." He asked in his serious/playful voice.

"Cross my heart… now where is Bio?" he looked at me with those baby blues like I grew a second head before laughing "you're unbelievable, you know that?"

"I know but now is not really the time to discuss my awesomeness, I have to get to class. So help me!" Isaac just shook his head and tugged on my shirt sleeve with a tilt of his head and that lopsided smirk of his.

And it's not incredibly sexy… it's not. It shouldn't be.

But wow it is.

I followed him to the class door as he motioned with his hand for me to go in "you're not coming?"

"Nope, I have Geometry, which I'm now late for… thanks to you." I fight the urge to punch him again and smile with a hand over my heart mockingly "oh, my hero."

We shared a small smile before parting ways silently and raced to find a decent seat. The room filled up pretty quick and I somehow managed a window seat, grateful for the warm sun on my fair skin, which is until the teacher began talking "Morning class, it would seem we have a new student with us today… Annabrae Cavanaugh, Annabrae?"

"Um, Brae, is fine." I stood and walked to the front of the class, I knew this act like the back of my hand; god knows I've rehearsed it enough times.

I stood before them with my head held high and twiddling my fingers as the frizzy haired teacher smiled "why don't you tell us about you. Where you come from, who you live with…"

I appreciated her trying to help but I wasn't new to this and signed "I'm Brae, I moved here from New Orleans, I live with my brother and I suck at science, especially Bio."

Everyone laughed as I dodged back to my seat. The last part was kind of a lie; I'm actually pretty good at science. However the best thing to do is make them laugh, put them at ease so you can slip through undetected, that's one of the keys to a good con.

Also a surprisingly handy tip for life as well.

The first half of the day slipped by without much hassle and for me that's kind of a miracle. That is until French rolled around, one of my worse subjects and to kick it off Jackson was in that class and I groaned in dismay at the sheer sight of him.

I met Jackson over the weekend, his parents had brought us lasagna and he was well… an ass.

You could tell he didn't want to be there the second we opened the door, in fact he looked kind of queasy, his mom and dad were nice enough though, made small talk and asked how we're finding the small town, but Jackson was looking around and turning his nose up at our – shall I say- shabby chic décor. When I went up to talk to him, he eyed me like I was the lasagna and smirked cockily "you know without the preschooler look, you'd probably be kind of hot."

I was wearing a pink dress with small bows on, it was a favorite actually. I kept my smile and growled through my teeth "thanks, now tell me, how do you feel about wearing drenchers?"

He laughed and if that didn't make me want to punch him more the next words out of his mouth sure did "right… so do I get to see your room?"

"Not even if you were Johnny Depp, asshole." I groaned and walked back over to my brother and the Whittemore's before he could get in anything else.

Nik threw a protective arm around my shoulder as I curled into him, he knew something was up and must have guessed it was Jackson's fault by the sore glares I was sending to the guy, they stayed for an extra ten minutes and on their way out I saw Nik grab Jackson, muttering something into his ear that made the boy pale before leaving.

On the plus side the lasagna was fantastic, even if I did have to reach for my meds after every other bite.

Anyway back to French, I sat down on the furthest table from Jackson and his friends, who laughed and stared as the class begun, it took me a moment to realize I had actually sat next to someone, a girl with unkempt blonde hair, the few touches of spots and large black circles under her eyes, despite all that she was still pretty, but by the way she ducked her head behind the curtain of blonde I guessed she must be kind of shy "hey, do you have any idea what this crap is?"

I pointed to the page of French text we were reading and honestly it just looked like gibberish anyway and I figured if I'm going to flunk this class I may as well have someone to talk to during it. She popped her head up ever so slightly and nodded "It's talking about the French revolution."

I looked back at the page and nodded with a smile "awesome, so I'm getting a big old 'F'. How about you?"

"I'm not doing your work for you." she said it far too quickly for my liking and I wondered how many times people had asked her to actually do that.

I leaned back and turned to look more closely to the girl "I'll have you know I've been failing French since middle school and like hell am I going to screw up my perfect record, let alone by cheating."

The girl looked a bit shocked and embarrassed as she gnawed on her lip "I'm sorry… I just, I'm sorry."

She went to hide away again and I realized I kind of snapped at her so I nudged her shoulder with mine "don't sweat it, I'm Brae."

"Erica." Her smile was timid but still at least it was an actual smile.

Erica and I talked throughout the lesion, hardly getting any actual work done, she was funny, took a little while to warm up to but hey I could work with that. It was when something hit me while we we're talking the pros and cons of suspenders that shit kicked off.

My frail fingers move to pull the spit ball out of my hair and I instantly looked over to Jackson, laughing and holding the offending straw and looked back at Erica, all the joy faded from her face and I realized it wasn't actually me they were aiming for and by the look on her face I could tell it was nothing new "they bugging you?"

"No, I'm used to it. Their popular kids, picking on people like me is how they stay popular." She shrugged it off like it was nothing as another spit ball landed, this time in her hair.

I felt the growl in my throat and tried pulled the small bottle from my pocket, taking two squirts under the tongue to calm my enraged heart slamming against my chest and the pain I felt crawling up my neck "so what car does Jackson drive?"

She looked pretty confused but I knew by the end of the day she'd be smiling… and Jackson wouldn't be.

Next was lunch, I walked into the cafeteria like I owned the place, I'd had many first day dances in the cafeteria, dodging around to find the least intimidating people, a spare seat that none of the regulars have claimed for their own, it was a warzone. Then again, high school was always a war.

It wasn't until I saw a mess of dirty blonde curls that I actual moved around the people and smiled as I dropped to the seat across "miss me?"

"Do I miss having my life endangered; I'm going to say no." Isaac smiled back at me as I pulled out my lunch and raised a brow at it with a confused sneer "what's that supposed to be?"

"Eggplant, tomato and chicken on rye, a raspberry smoothie and a rice treat… what, because Sloppy Joes are to _die_ for?" I faked my enthusiasm at the mess on his plate before taking a chunk out of my sandwich.

He just laughed with those sparkling baby blues and shrugged "I just didn't peg you for a health nut is all, every time I see your brother he's wolfing down fries in his car."

I bit my lip and shook my head at that, Nik tried to join me with my doctor insisted diet but I knew he just couldn't hack it "Yeah well some of us want to live past forty. By the way how handy are you with a hammer?"

He laughed for a second; shoveling the food (if you could call it that) into his mouth "I cannot hit myself with it if that's what you're asking. Why?"

"We've got a leak and my useless brother is well, useless." I smile with a sip of my smoothie.

He looks like he's thinking about it, but all that playfulness seemed to have fallen away to worry before I reached to take his work worn hand in my soft supple fingers "Dude I swear we'll pay and everything, but if I have to spend another night with that fucking dripping noise I my scream down the damn neighborhood… Please, please, please, Puppy."

I pout and watched him crumble under my green eyes with a sigh "Fine, gees you've been in town five minutes and you're already a huge pain in the ass."

"But I'm adorable so I can get away with it" I smiled brightly as Isaac laughed with a shake of those curls and dug into my lunch.

Isaac is actually in some of my classes that afternoon and we nearly get detention for getting into an argument over who Bruce Wayne's successor (obviously it would be Damian because all the others did their own thing, Grayson = Nightwing, Todd = Red Hood, Drake = Red Robin, so that only leaves the actual son of Batman to take the mantel. Not Drake, god Isaac I could smack you for your idiocy!)

But it's only when we walked out the front door that we broke out laughing, Jackson was freaking out, turns out that during free period someone had smashed his driver side window in and emptied a bucket of bright pink paint from the Art department all over the insides of his precious baby, not that I knew any details or anything.

I noticed Erica as two guys are being dragged back in to the school for keying someone else's car, one had a slightly uneven jaw I couldn't help but notice and the other had an almost grin on his face. The blonde's eyes widened as a pleasantly shocked smile came to her face and I wiggled my fingers in the air before heading over to my car.

"You want a ride?" I asked Isaac as he started to unchain his bike.

He didn't even bother looking up as he answers "no, I have to get to work."

It didn't seem like much of an excuse and kind of rushed but I nodded and opened my door, taking mild amusement as Jackson grabs at people and starts screaming for answers, looking even sicklier than he did that morning "hey if you want to come round and take a look at the leak tonight, you could… might even be some desert in it for you."

I watch those lean legs climb onto the bike and notice the lopsided smile isn't cocky or playful anymore, it's kind of sad and makes me want to ask why but I don't "I'll see what I can do, no promises. Later Brae."

I just wave before climbing into my car and calling after him "my hero!"

When I got home it was to an empty house and a note near the small vase of Sunflowers on the kitchen island:-

_Brae, _

_Had to head back into work, might be a late one. Dinner's in the oven._

_DON'T ORDER PIZZA!_

_Love you, _

_Nik x_

_I mean it no pizza!_

I laughed a little at that, my brother knew me well and that every now and again I give into temptation. Dropping my bag to the floor I walked over to the oven, actually licking my lips and the honey roasted Salmon waiting for me inside, skinless chicken can only hold a girls interest for so long.

I started warming it up and raced up to my bedroom, landing on my bed with a sigh as I kicked off my shoes, my room is pretty big, but then again it did used to be the attic, but with a few shades of pink and duck egg blue, throw pillows and neatly stacked movies and comics it was more than homely. I even had two small windows that let me see out into the whole street.

With one quick dress change into my giraffe pj's and collecting my dinner I took to my room to sit to settle into a movie, tonight's choice; Labyrinth. Half way through the movie I looked at the clock and empty plate on my nightstand, it was nearly nine and with a quick look out my window saw Isaac's laid out on the lawn.

So I guess he's not coming.

I shouldn't have been disappointed or mad when I saw him checking out the redhead girl… what was her name, Layla? Laura? Anyway I don't hate her simply for the longing look he's sent her during Chemistry at all… except for the part where I wanted to rip those pouty lips off and smack her with them. And he did say he might not make it so I couldn't be to upset, except that I kind of am.

So with a slump I fall into my patchwork cushioned dresser chair, brushing back my blonde curls with a sigh before sparing a glance to the variety of pill bottles, I pick up two and take my nightly dosages before heading to sleep.

_Are you coming?_

_Coming to play?_

_Come play with me…_

I woke with a start, snapping up right and reaching for my medication as the giggling echoes in my head. I take three squirts before my eyes adjust to the darkened room and notice the figure slumped by the dresser.

I walk over to him like I've done many times before, he looks really uncomfortable, his tie skewed loosely, sleeves rolled over his elbows and just under the crease of his inner arm I see three small beautiful crowns inked onto his skin that warmed my heart as I shook his arm "Nik, Nik wake up."

"Gracie?" my heart drops at the name he murmurs in his sleepy daze.

Kneeling before him I watch those green eyes flutter open "hey you, sorry… guess I dozed off."

"Checking up on me again? How very brotherly of you." I smiled as I stood and he gripped my hand, his thumb brushing circles over it as he mutters sleepily "it's kind of in my job description… I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

I rounded the chair to hug him from behind, arms circling his neck as I kissed his smoothed blonde hair "you worry too much; I'm a big girl now you know?"

With a low chuckle he stood, cupping my face before kissing my cheek "still my little princess, my annoying, geeky little princess. So how was your first day?"

I punched him in the arm before answering "it was good, Isaac said he's fix the leak."

"I told you I'd get to it" he groaned with a palm mumbling his words.

I laughed and shook my head "Nikolai I love you and you're a man of many skins, but handy man is not on your résumé."

"Fine, I'm too tired to fight with you. Night." the boy too old for his bones grumbled, leaning into kiss my brow before heading out to his own room.

I watched him leave, the door close and took a seat on my bed, curling into comforter as my head met the pillow and I felt the tears threating to fall as I grazed the three small crowns on my own arm, matching that of my brothers and whimpered into the quiet room "oh god… I'm so sorry."


	3. Chapter 3

School had been shut down for almost a week after a bunch of kids got locked in by some nut job apparently named Dylan Hale, maybe it was Derek; yeah… yeah that was it. Anyway ever since then everyone's been on high alert, I mean this guy killed someone that night and according to the news killed a bunch of other people to.

Which of course meant that Nik hadn't let me out of his sight for more than five seconds at a time.

No seriously, he burst, all crazy like, into the bathroom thinking I'd been abducted because I wasn't where he'd left me watching TV. Come on cant a girl pee in peace!

The thing that bugged me was Isaac though, it's like I'd barely seen him at all, catching the odd glimpse as he raced off for work then back, I called out but I think he had his headphones in because he never once looked over… at least I think he had them in. I knocked a few times but only got an answer once off his dad who stared at my chest the whole time and was actually kind of rude.

I wonder what I did wrong.

I talked to Erica a few times though, she turned up at my house with this thank you card that was blank and shrugged "I didn't know what to put that wouldn't incriminate you."

We'd talked on the phone a few times and I even took her shopping yesterday (Nik tagged along of course) and I can honestly say I like the girl.

Pulling up to the school I can feel the involuntary pout as Nik jabbers on "ok, so I'll pick you up after school, right here! I put pepper spray in your bag and that lipstick taser thing I bought you in the back pocket next you your medication. No matter what any teacher says you keep your cell on at all times and call me if you need me, for anything, I'm talking nose bleed, serial killer attack, zombies, a fucking migraine you call me ok?"

"I miss my car… she's prettier than yours." Is all my sulking little lips can mumble while I play idly with one of my two long braids and the blonde man turns to me "Brae I'm serious!"

With a roll of my eyes I smile over at my overprotective brother "I know but I'll be fine, Nik I swear. I'm not some helpless little twit."

With a long scared breath Nik slouches in his sharp silver suit and nods with a hand over his face "Yeah, yeah I know that but I just… I want you safe is all."

I reach over to wrap my pale arms around his neck, feeling him squeeze me tight before I kiss his cheek and climb out the car "love you douche-lord!"

"You to freak-queen." He smiles, not even attempting to leave the parking lot until I'm past the threshold of the school.

I walk the halls like I did my first day, like I owned the place. I smiled as I saw Erica stood at her locker but was blocked as a firm chest smacked into me "Hey."

Those big doe eyes smile down at me and I have the urge to smack it off him as I cross my arms mean girls style "Hey? Seriously? You all but shun me for like a week now I get a 'hey'? By the way you don't have to worry about the leak, we called a repair guy… so thanks for nothing"

His smile drops instantly and I fight the urge to apologize and find a way to make it better. Damn those puppy dog blues.

No, no I hold my ground but he's twiddling with his thumbs, staring at them as he speaks "I'm sorry, I just, there was some stuff going on at home and what with the thing here my dad… he just… wanted me home is all. I should have called I'm sorry."

I'm mad him, I am, and I have every intention of staying mad… damn it! I stomp my knee high leather boot with a little sigh before punching him in the shoulder, not enough to hurt but he still kind of flinched but I pretend not to notice "why? Why do you have to have that face? I woke up today determined to be mad and moody and guilt you but here you are with the sad face and I mean come on! The face dude! …I really wanted to be mad at you."

He laughs low as I pout like a child before rubbing my shoulders with those big hands of his, leaning down to look me in the eye "I'm sorry, hey, how about we go to see the new Avengers this weekend, my treat for being kind of an asshole."

I brush his hands from my shoulders and stride past him only to turn on my heel "Fine… but only because my love of Loki overrides my momentary distain for you" I say this walking backwards towards Erica, knowing my first class is near hers, fingering my white lace skater dress as I link Erica's arm and flash one last smile to the too tall boy.

The day passes without much action apart from some guy bolting out of a Chemistry test I'm actually pretty confident about despite the lack of actual teaching that was done. Nik's text me like ten times already and I'm pretty sure the guy's going to end up with an aneurism at some point.

I walked over to the field with the sheepish blonde girl beside me; she didn't really know Isaac but was still happy to watch them practice with me, now as we sit in the stands I get why.

Her eyes are glued to the pale guy with the shaved head, he's in a few of my classes and I've noticed he doesn't seem to have an off switch "what's his name?"

He looks pretty freaked out as I smile at her with a roll of my eyes "the cutie you're checking, come on I'm not blind."

"He, I … his name's Stiles, he um… he's in our Chem class… he likes online gaming, superhero's and this one time when one of Lydia's friend's knocked my books over and pushed me he come over and helped me up and stuff. He's nice." I can see how she almost shines at the thought of the boy.

As we talk one guy knocks down three, one of whom is Danny, he's in my art class, gave me the last of his gum earlier… I like Danny "Fuck!"

It takes me a second until realize I'm already half way across the field "Is he ok?"

"I think so…" one guy mumbles as another comes closer to me, I realize it's Isaac by the smell because even now he smells of fresh dirt, musty comic books and a bittersweet musk that's just pure Isaac. I notice the guy who hit Danny and growl in anger, Danny's nice.

"Brae don't!" I hadn't realized Erica was behind me as I stormed off to the shaggy haired boy pushing him hard enough for him to stumble "What the hell is your problem?"

The guy looks at me like this cat back in New Orland's did before it jumped through my window and tried to eat my fucking face just as Erica's not-boyfriend makes for the gap between us "Hey, hey come on it was an accident, roughhousing and all that stuff that comes with sports. Totally unintended; right Scott? ….Scott?"

He's looking around with those softly lit amber eyes but his friend, Scott is gone "Lacrosse… right? Great game."

I get why Erica likes him as I turn and walk away just as Jackson say's something about Lydia's lipstick, but I'm not listening because Erica looks kind of stunned while Isaac is giving me this look like I did something wrong as I shrug "what? Ass is lucky I didn't punch him."

"You're insane you know that right?" the doe eyed boy asks me with his arms folded tight around him and with my best innocent smile I swirl lightly "I know…"

The pair laugh, but the second the attention is back on Danny I instantly pull the spray bottle from my bag, breathing hard thought the pain as I take three long sprays… much better.

As the school day ends I make my out and see Isaac unchaining his bike "Hey stranger."

He smiles and looks around slightly "Hey…um Brae where's your car?"

"Nik drove me; he's doing the parent thing. It's creepy when he does it but unavoidable really." I smile leaning back on the rail lightly as he kneels down to get the last lock on his bike.

I don't notice his ass, I don't… but if you had a gun to my head then I'd tell you it's cute and I have the urge to grab it only a little. I pulled out of the ass trance I have going on by the honking of a horn, snapping my head up I see a shiny blood red SUV Ford Ranger with a pissed off looking blonde skipping out of it "Brae what the hell? Why didn't you answer my text?"

"Which one? The two you sent during my Chem test, the four you sent me at lunch or maybe the one you sent me while I was in the bathroom? Nik relax, I'm right here, not a scratch more than when you left me this morning."

Isaac laughs as Nik sends me an annoyed glare "shut your pie hole and get in the car, you to goldilocks."

Isaac looks momentarily panicked before shrugging "Nah, it's cool I've got my bike so…"

"I'm sorry did I stutter? Get your asses in the car, I'll grab the bike. I'm not having you scratch my paintwork trying to shove that thing in." he's acting all grumbly but I can't help but smile because it's sweet when he does the parent thing.

I walk with Isaac to the car as he nods with raises brows "yep, definitely your brother."

The drive home was pretty quiet except for the radio, I can see Nik staring at Isaac through the mirror before he asks "so Brae tells me you're on the Lacrosse team, is that like a contact sport?"

"Yeah, it is. It's kind of like field hockey but with nets." That's a pretty good analogy but I can tell Nik still isn't really getting it.

My brother makes a 'hum' noise just before I turn to look at Isaac "Yeah, you might as well have just spoken Latin because he didn't understand anything besides 'Yeah, it is'. Nik isn't much of a sports guy."

"That's not true!" Nik quickly jumps to his own defense.

With a roll of my eyes I quickly say "The women's volley ball doesn't count."

"Sure it does… ok fine, yeah so I'm not a sports guy." As he caves I can hear Isaac chuckling from the back seat until Nik asks "Hey Isaac how about you and your dad have dinner at our house tonight, we've already had the Whitmore's over and that scary lady from down the street."

I watch Isaac's Adam's apple bob before he answers "um… yeah, I'll have to ask my dad… he might be working though so…"

As my eye's meet Nik's it's like a silent connection, a strange tug we both feel be can't describe. So I do what I do best, slap on my best smile and shine my sparkly green eyes over to the boy in the back seat "Please Isaac you have to come, if you leave me with this loser I might die of boredom! Pretty please…"

"HEY! I am not boring"

He looks like a deer caught in the headlights of a freaking monster truck as he licks those cheery pink lips "um, yeah, yeah I'll just make sure it's ok with my dad first."

"Awesomeness." I smile before settling back into my seat and singing along with the radio, Nik starts joining in rolling up his sleeves and I can here Isaac laughing at us as his eyes fall to our identical tattoos.

After dropping Isaac off I headed upstairs to wash the day away while Nik started on dinner. I ended up bare foot in a batman t-shirt and yellow sweatpants, hair still dangling in two perfect braids as I examine myself in the bathroom mirror but as I walked out of my onsite bathroom I almost screamed and grabbed a lamp, the closest weapon at the sight of Isaac stood in my room "Sorry, Nik said it was ok to come up and get you."

"Of course he did… so your dad let you out to play then." I force a smile, setting down the lamp as I feel my heart pounding erratically from the shock, sneakily racing to my purse and all put ripping the little squirt bottle from out of the back, using maybe a few more squirts than I actually should "No actually, looks like we're having steak. I just came round to say I couldn't come round; if that makes any sense."

The pain scratching at my chest and neck begins to fade as I smile over to the blonde boy smirking at the frame on my dresser he'd taken in hand "Now this is seriously cute."

The picture is of a teenage blonde boy wearing a hop hat with a betting slip tucked in the brim and a raggedy suit, one arm firmly around the shoulders of a small girl with large bunny ears slipped into long flowing curls, Popped shirt collar, painted nose, buckteeth and whiskers and holding a teacup shaped bag filled with candy.

I take the glittery frame from his hand with a fond smile tugging at my lips "yeah, we were pretty determined to go as the Mad Hatter's tea party that year… not that Nik had much say in it either way."

"It looks good; you're missing Dormouse though… I remember when I was a kid mom always put Camron and I in matching outfits, Halloween or not." my mouth dries and chest tightens at the words, both us sharing a longing gaze but I smile nonetheless.

With a nudge of my shoulder to his arm I laugh "well maybe if you're lucky I'll let you team up with me this year."

"I'm sure Nik would be very disappointed." He jokes because yeah, dressing up to match your teenage sister while you're in your mid-twenties isn't every guys idea of a good holiday, in fact it may even be a nightmare.

Still, hugging the frame to me I stare up into those perfect baby blues and smile my best smile "yeah… or he could go into big brother mode and dismember you. After all you are a guy."

"True, I am very much a guy." He says it almost seriously but I know better and laugh.

It's quiet for a second, not scary 'OMG, what do I say now?' quiet but a nice quiet, I might even go as far as to say comfortable "I should go..." he says it like he doesn't mean it, like he doesn't want to and I don't pout a little, I pout just a bit more than a little.

"Yeah… I guess so." I lean up to give him a quick hug before actually letting him get out of my room, his fingers lingering lightly on the trio of crowned ink before reaching for the door with a sweet smile over his shoulder "Night Brae."

"Goodnight."

I watch him leave, waiting for the sound of the footsteps to fade before falling down onto the patchwork comforter of my bed. I look at the picture in my hands, I watch it and want nothing more than to smash it against the wall… but I don't, instead I tenderly remove the back, plucking the picture from its place as I finger along my brothers shoulder. The picture unfolds to show his arm around someone else, with mouse ears, perfect face paint, blonde hair in a short messy bob, holding a teacup bag of treats and wearing the most important thing of all… my face!

I let out a large sob as my fingers graze her face, _my_ face…_**our**_ face as a questioning voice echoes through the large room "Brae?"

I find Nik stood at the door with that look on his face, the look that tells me he'd trade his soul to make my pain dim just a little; he always hated it when we cried "it's all my fault!"

With a shake of his head the blonde rushes to scoop my small frame into his strong arms "no, don't say that, don't even think it! It's not your fault… not ever. It's their fault! You didn't do anything… you didn't. They did this, them! They're the reason all this happened, not you, so don't you dare think it not even for a second. It's not your fault baby."

I sob into his shirt as the picture falls and hand stroke my hair to sooth me… I can't see the picture as it faces from me on the floor, but I can see the crease where we've hid her away and the scribbling I'd almost forgot was there…

'_Grace, Eddie and Hope – Halloween 2003'_

I knew it was a lie, it was my fault; I was to bold, too brassy, to young and stupid and I got my sister killed… my twin… my Gracie… and the worst part is I'm not just starting to forget her, I'm starting to forget me to.

Now after so long, after all the running and lying I'm not sure who I am anymore.

But maybe I could be someone new; maybe I could still learn to be Annabrae… even if all I want to be is Hope.

Maybe…


End file.
